Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-09-13

wnen came TO. the old man had gon,
where l could guess without asking an,
questions ICrawled around to this corner
of the porch. where l could look up tht
canyon and watch for them. for hours
thought Yet when the carriage came slowly
| in sight it seemed but the winking Of an
eye since I had left her first The OLD
man held her in his arms, his face white
and stern. The driver went at snaji's
pace, going SO carefully over the least littlt
rut or stone rs though tender of thu,
senseless burden.
saw at the first glance that HARE was
not in the carriage. and was on the point
OF rising - go in search Of him when
caught sight Of his figure plodding along
in the dust behind the carriage
When those in the carriage found Harte
lying by her side, she not more deathly
quiet, he had risen up and faced first, the
Old man. suppose even in his wildness
Harte felt sympathy for the fathers grief;
perhaps. too, flashing contrition, know
ing the old man, in his own mind. must
hold him accountable for it, SO he suf-
fered him to pick her up and lay her in
the carriage, then to climb In after her
and motion the driver to turn back, for
they saw In al instant there was no need
of surgery, and when they set out Harte
did not offer % enter the carriage. He
followed behind on foot, but there was Il
hard determination in his haggard face.
The old man sprang out, lifting her after
him, and carried her in his arms up the
steps. l followed half through the parlor,
thinking Ia help him, for the old mans
strength seemed hardly equal to the bur
den. But he had gone on without me and
laid her on the bed would have gone
back then. but just al was turning Harte
stepped by me and into the chamber He
took his place by her head near the old
man. and the two confronted each other
l would have withdrawn then IL had had
the wit, but saw what might come and
felt in dull, aching way such . desire to
help them both, without knowing what to
do that stayed and stared like a helpless
Harte stood just at her head,
as white and hard IS marble, bolt upright,
and looking straight into the colonel eyes.
The colonel looked ast0nishment at first
l think Harte's face was like . revelation
TO him. He had gone to get his girl and
take her home with him, and II he had
Harte at all his thoughts had
brushed him contemptuously aside; he had
only thought Of him Is shuffling weak
ling who had in some mysterious way laid
spell upon his daughter. OF course that
was all over nOw-he could not even keep
her when he had got her His great grief
would allow him no space for resentment
now, though: this man had stolen her
away, but he would take his girl back
now
Those two looked into each others white
laces u moment in silence: then Harte ad
vanced All inch's space and cried hOarsely:
did not she choose, She is mine,
mine"
His cry ended in wailing sob, and he beat
his fist against his breast: but there was no
weakness in the cry-rather it was one SO
ull Of wild and desperate strength that no
nan could have heard It and doubted his |
in the dead girl The old mau |
lid not. He looked at Harte full minute. |
hen slowly left the room, turning to look |
L him still as he went
They have never met since, but I know
he Old colonel doesn't feel toward Harte |
. he did before that time. II doesn't |
eem 20 hard to hiN now that she should
ave left him; for he can UNDERSTANDINGS
Who could not, hearing that wild cry
What drew her from him, what she could
ee in the man he thought SO despicable.
But Harte-well, the old man went
ack, and she was buried up there in the
len, beautiful place. And Harte, poor
elbow, he haunted the place for days; it
eemed he must ~ mad He. Of course,
hought to 60 away, but he could not bear
0 leave her when it came to really going
They found him last night in the rain
p there in the glen, thrown down upon
er grave with hiR cheek nrpSSaI apaiDSf |